In the past, the general practice of surgeons or other medical practitioners using hypodermic syringes has been to transfer an injection solution to a syringe from ampoules or vials holding a single dose. These ampoules have been adapted to be sealed by a non-resealable cap. The ampoule is opened by rocking the non-resealable cap, tearing the non-resealable cap from an outlet of the ampoule at an area of weakness.
The outlets of these ampoules are often designed to mate with the open end of a needleless syringe. The open ends of needleless syringes come in several different forms or shapes. The two most popular forms of needle fitting are the friction fit fitting (such as the luer slip fitting) and the combination of screw thread and friction engagement fitting (such as the luer lock fitting). Ampoules with outlets that are designed to mate with luer slip fittings and ampoules with outlets that are designed to mate with luer lock fittings are known.
It will be appreciated that this past practice has required separate sterilizing measures, as solution transfer for injecting into humans requires scrupulous sterilizing of components.
Prior solutions for keeping these ampoules sterile include utilization of blister packaging of the ampoules prior to sterilization. This blister packaging is both costly and difficult to remove.
Other types of conventional containers have a cover that the user turns to engage the cap and tear the cap from the container. None of these containers are adapted to operate with a needleless syringe. Further, none of these containers are particularly well adapted to prevent compromise or contamination of the sterile port of the container during the manual manipulation required to open the port.
Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to provide a container assembly that maintains a sterile attachment zone for a needleless syringe.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container assembly that has a guarded sterile syringe attachment zone, which is easily compromised during the manual manipulation, required to open the container assembly.
Another object reduces risk of contamination of its opened port by finger touches.
Another object of the invention is to provide a container assembly adapted for use with a needleless syringe and which includes an overcap to facilitate removal of a closure top from the container.
A further object of the invention is to provide an overcap with an improved detent portion for engaging the closure top of a container.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.